Recent developments in golf club designs have made the protection of golf clubs when not in use more important than in the past. For example, the introduction of the graphite shaft to replace the traditional steel shaft has made protection of the shaft important. When these clubs are in the golf bag and transported during the game, the shafts tend to rub against the edge of the bag or against the partitions in the bag used to separate various groups of clubs. This rubbing on the bag can abrade a "rub ring" on the shaft which first causes cosmetic damage but which can, after time, cause physical damage to the shaft. Also the use of more exotic metals for the club heads, especially the "woods" such as the driver and long fairway clubs, has made protection of the club head equally important.
To provide this protection, long tubular sleeves often referred to as "socks" are known to protect the shafts in the bag and large soft bulbous head covers are attached to the top of the "socks." It is often difficult to thread the club head through this narrow "sock," especially when the head of the club is oversized, which is popular today.
To thread the club head through the narrow tubular sleeve of the "sock," the club shaft is often rested on the ground while the club is held vertical. The head of the club is then threaded through the sock opening into the head cover. However, if the grass is wet or the ground is damp or muddy, the shaft grip, resting on the ground, becomes wet, slippery and/or contaminated with dirt or other abrasives which often interfere with a firm and comfortable grip of the golfer. Also, the moisture and contaminates often accelerate degradation and deterioration of the shaft grip.
Additionally, if the head of the club has acquired soil or other contaminates during use, these abrasive elements can be trapped in the shaft "sock" and will further add to the frictional damage acquired as discussed above.
It would therefore be desirable to have a protective cover for today's golf clubs that could be used to overcome and avoid the noted difficulties.